Cluster-socket.



J. C. TOURNIER. GLUSTEB. SOCKET.

APPLIUATION FILED un. 5. 1909.

1,010,465. Patntea lDee. 5, 19-11.

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l UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE. A`

JULIUS CH. TOURNIER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW VYORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, AA CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CLUSTER-SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 5, 1909.

vPatented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 481,399.

To all 'whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that I, J uLrUs C. TOURNIER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady,

State of New York, have invented certainv new and useful Improvements inCluster-` K and inexpensive cluster socket inwhich the p-airs ofcontacts in the several sockets can be connected by short pieces ofwire,where by the lamps can be grouped in series or in multiple or inany other combination desired.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of `a clustersocket embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section,showing the lampsupporting element disconnected from its hanger; Fig. 3is a top plan view of the lamp-supporting element; Fig. 4c is a bottomplan View of the hanger, and Fig. 5 is a diagram of circuits, showingthe sockets connected in series.

The cluster socket shown is arranged to hold five lamps, four at equaldistances apart around its sides, and one in the center at the bottom.The number of lamps may be other than this, however, and the selectionof five for illustration is merely incidental.

The body 1 is of suitable insulating material, such as molded porcelain,and its shape is substantially that of an inverted truncated cone. Inits upper side is a hopper-shaped recess, having inclined sides providedwith upright ribs 2, dividing each side into three shallow recesses. Ineach recess is a nut meshing with the end of a screw, said screwsserving to hold in place the shell contacts 3 and the center contacts 4of the several lamp sockets, which are grouped around the outside of thebody 1. The bottom socket contacts are secured by screws which pass upthrough the lower end of the body 1 and are provided with nuts.

On each of the nuts 5 which fasten the center contactsv inplace is aflange having a tapped hole to receive a binding screw 6. One of eachpair of nuts 7 which hold the shell contacts to the body is likewiseprovided with a ange in which is a tapped hole to receive a bindingscrew 8. By means l of short pieces of insulated wire 9 the shell andcenter contacts in the several sockets can be connected together in anysuitable o r desired grouping of the lamps.

At diagonally opposite corners of the recess in which. the nuts andbinding screws are located are two metallic strips 10, each clamped byone lof the nuts engaging a screw which fastens the shell contact `ofthe socket on that side of the body 1. The upper end of each strip isfashioned into a clip 11l which lies parallel with the Vupper surfacekof the body 1. The hanger comprises a block-12 of insulating material,circular in shape, to lit into a circular countersink 13 in the upperend of the body 1. A metallic nut 14 is let into the upper side of theblock, to receive the end of a pipe or other supporting member 15. Thesides of the block are cut away to accommodate two plates 16 havingresilient tongues 17 which are adapted to engage under the clips 11'when the body 1 is closed up'against the block andr given a partialrotation; the action being that of the well-known bayonet joint. Thebranch leads from the line are brought down through the pipe 15 andcarried out through the grooves 18 to the binding screws 19 on thecontact plates 16. It follows that when the body is connected to theblock the circuit is completed through the lamps; the tongues 17 servingnot only to sup-port the body and its lamps but also to act as circuitclosers.

A casing or canopy 20 of spun sheet metal with apertures correspondingto the lamp contacts having sheet metal collars 21 spun therein,incloses the body 1 and the lamp contacts, being insulated from theshell contacts by interposed sleeves of insulating material 22, havingtheir inner ends fiared outwardly to engage shoulders at the inner endsof the collars.

This cluster socket is simple in construction,and can be easilyassembled. After the connections are made by the short wires 9, therecess in which they are located can be filled with wax to prevent shortcircuits and the entrance of dirt and moisture. This filling extends, ofcourse, only up to the top of the hopper-shaped recess, leaving thecircular countersink open to receive the block 12.

I do not desire to restrict myself to the particular form or arrangementof parts herein shown and described, since it is apparent that they maybe changed and modified without. departing from my invention.

Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, 1s

l. A cluster socket forr` electric lamps, comprising an insulated hangerhaving contact tongues adapted for connection with line wires mountedthereon, an insulating base having a recess in its upper side and aplurality of lamp contacts mounted on the under side, binding postssecured in the recess of said base by screws extending through the baseand engaging said lamp contacts, conducting clips secured to the uppersurface of said base and adapted t0 engage the contact tongues of saidhanger, and short conductors arranged to detaohably connect said bindingposts whereby the sequence of connection between the lamp contacts maybe changed at will.

2. A cluster socket for electric lamps, comprising a body of insulatingmaterial having a recess in its upper side, lamp contracts located onthe outside of said base, binding posts located on the inside of saidbase, metallic securing means extending through the base and connectingeach lamp contact with a binding post, and parallel ribs formed on theinner and outer surface of said base for holding said binding posts andlamp contact in iXed position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day ofMarch, 1909.

JULIUS CH. TOURNIER.

WVitnesses HELEN ORFORD, BENJAMIN B. HULL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

